This section defines some common terms and acronyms used within this document.
BHTS An acronym for Basic HyperText Server, the
WASD-written server used within WASD. It provides unique features such as the
menuing system.
Browser A software application used to navigate, access and
display Hyper-Information. See client.
Client A software application accessing information
provided by a separate application executing on another system. In context,
the client is a program such as Mosaic, being used to view data stored
non-locally, and retrieved by a server elsewhere. The client
application makes a request to the server via the network which returns an
appropriate response via the same network.
HTML HyperText Markup Language is a method of providing
document formatting information (headings, paragraphs, lists, bold text, etc.)
within what is essentially plain-text. It is done by embedding
tags within the text that provide directives to the display
application indicating the text's function, and by implication how it should
look. For instance, a major heading with an italicized word would be
marked-up as follows:
Home Page A hypertext page providing access to grouped
data, often representing a host, directory or directory hierarchy.
Hypertext Literally above or beyond
text. Encompasses information in all forms, textual, graphical, auditory,
relational. Currently organised and accessed using a rich textual
language, HTML.
Server A software application that listens on a network
for a request from an independent client, and provides an
appropriate response, usually the return of the data requested.
URL Uniform Resource Locator, a unique identification
mechanism for data; the syntax specifying by which protocol (interaction when
accessing the data), from which host (it is a distributed - read
networked - environment), and an identifier for the required
datum. Looks like: protocol://host/identifier